‘Accepted NFC role on CM Kamal’s insistence’

Javed Jabbar not a resident of Balochistan but insists 'regular association'

Balochistan’s member on the 10 National Finance Commission (NFC) Javed Jabbar said on Tuesday he accepted the position of non-statutory member on the insistence of Chief Minister Jam Kamal.

In a statement, Jabbar expressed the view he was not a resident of Balochistan but insisted that he had regular association with province, spanning over 45 years, saying that it began with the filming of a documentary for the UN Habitat conference in 1975 to depict conditions of life for the very poor and disadvantaged.

The statement came after a press conference by a Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) leader in Quetta earlier this week, raising objection to the appointment of Jabbar. However, Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani later defended the decision, saying that it was a prerogative of the provincial government to nominate Jabbar to the NFC.

“In response to questions raised by some about whether one has any previous or present association with Balochistan, and experience in fields relevant to NFC: one respects the right of persons to be critical,” Jabbar said in the statement.

“At the same time, for the record: I did not seek this nomination and accepted it only because of the kind insistence of the chief minister,” he added. “While it is correct that one is not a financial specialist or economist, the CM and [my]self view one’s task in the NFC as that of presenting a political economy perspective of Balochistan’s special, distinct requirements and rights.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2020.